#48 ALBANIA

According to the Tourism Albania website, adorable Albania is Europe's last unturned stone. It's a little corny but better than the official motto "Go your own way!" which now has me singing Fleetwood Mac in my head. Seriously though, little Albania is a gem of beautiful coastline, Ottoman architecture, unique foods, and friendly people.

The first time I visited Albania, Zoran and I crossed over to Gjirokastër by boat from Corfu, Greece. We were greeted by scenic mountains, warm summer breezes, and the fantastic childhood home of former leader Enver Hoxha! The sprawling Ottoman architecture was impressive enough from outside, but inside, the rooms were adorned with intricate fireplaces, windowed alcoves, and expansive social spaces where men and women were separated by wooden screens. This was a super relaxed place, and we spent our days just lounging around town, enjoying fried frogs legs with beer for lunch and the slow pace of life.

My second time in Albania, we traveled overland from Turkey to Croatia, and rather than take a longer route through Kosovo, we ended up in Tirana for a few days. It was a delightful city with many aggressive concrete communist architecture and revolutionary statues. But, again, we'd arrived without a plan and just spent our time wandering the streets, visiting museums, and enjoying some excellent food.

I'd like to return to Albania someday, primarily as part of a more nature-oriented hiking adventure through the borderlands with Kosovo and Macedonia, but more on that if it ever happens!